AFR's Joe Aston goes BAM!

You are trying to twist what I said...i was referring to a drug company pen! Anyway you are entitled to your opinion...

Sorry I wasn't trying to be obtuse, I failed to pick up your specific reference to only a drug company incentive..
 
With public money, it is an entirely different situation IMO. And Govt agencies do have policies regarding BFOD etc., although

Yes true.

Political class AFAIAA are not employees of government agencies are not covered by same rules.

Parliamentary rules are written by politicians and these seem to have more holes than Swiss cheese and some pollies of all persuasions choose to just "accidentally" ignore them.
 
I would just like to see the ATO taxing the recipients for the value they are receiving in the CL.
Never happen - have you seen the "reasonable" expenses limits for travel before you might need to ante up receipts to the ATO ... these are quantified by public servants in Canberra ...

TD 2024/3 | Legal database travel and overtime
 
It's always funny to see the lengths that the Qantas apologisers will go in order to defend a company engaging in a textbook case of regulatory capture.

The blame seems to lie at the feet of anyone but the company engaging in the practice.

But it's politicians' fault — Qantas are the innocent party here! But it's the fault of other companies that also do it — Qantas are merely trying to keep up. But it's your fault — you should run for Parliament if you're unhappy with it!

The last one is my absolute favourite.
 
But FF status and DSC are!
Yes, the drug analogy works well. I think the drug addiction analogy works even better IMO. BTW some of us have an allergy to it, so that analogy also applies🤣.

CL ? Must give these people a high when they go up the escalator turn right and go through the glass door on left at SYD


......

Drug company pens are the 💩-tiest pens around.

But here is an idea, if coffee mugs/pens are so mighty as an inducement tool, the airline should just cease CL (as it is not an effective inducement tool) and just give politicians, judges etc a Qantas coffee mug / pen from time to time. 👍🤣
 
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It's always funny to see the lengths that the Qantas apologisers will go in order to defend a company engaging in a textbook case of regulatory capture.

The blame seems to lie at the feet of anyone but the company engaging in the practice.

But it's politicians' fault — Qantas are the innocent party here! But it's the fault of other companies that also do it — Qantas are merely trying to keep up. But it's your fault — you should run for Parliament if you're unhappy with it!

The last one is my absolute favourite.

Go ahead and report it.

 
Why is there a huge number of off topics posts in this thread? There are multiple existing threads on the chairman's lounge and plenty of existing discussion on the prime minister's son's membership.

Any chance we can discuss Aston again?
 
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Why is there a huge number of off topics posts in this thread? There are multiple existing threads on the chairman's lounge and plenty of existing discussion on the prime minister's son's membership.

Any chance we can discuss Aston again?
Posts re Chairmans Lounge etc. (although somewhat repeated in the nearly 400 posts within this thread) are not off topic in relation to Joe Aston authored publications that refer to Qantas.
 
Do the chairman's lounges still have the club sandwich on the menu? That was always my favourite.

And any news on the new Adelaide chairman's lounge?
 
The PM responds to the situation today:

Albanese defends Qantas allegations (The Oz on-line)

Speaking in his electorate on Sunday afternoon at the Norton Street Italian Festa and asked whether he would be making further declarations to the parliamentary register of interests, the PM said “every single thing has been declared”.

“Every single thing has been declared, every single thing has been declared, which is why it has been reported on, and it is appropriate that those declarations occur,” he said.

“From time to time members of parliament receive upgrades, what’s important is that they are declared, all of mine have been declared, I note that a range of them go back a long period of time,” the PM said.

When it was put to him that he had sought out some of the upgrades, he said: “they have all been declared, which is what is appropriate”.

“(Alan Joyce) was the CEO of the national airline, and as the CEO of the national airline I have the same relationship with him than I have with (former Virgin Australia CEO) John Borghetti,” he said.

When asked whether all politicians should stop taking upgrades from airlines, he said it is “a matter for them”.

Mr Albanese said his son received access to Qantas’ prestigious Chairman’s Lounge when his relationship with his wife ended.

“I put out a media release when my marriage ended, you can’t be more transaparent than that,” he said.

“My plus one became my son.”

Then the question becomes: Does Qantas allow every CL member to invite someone else, if not their spouse/partner? Or was the PM being done a special favour?

In fact are all CL members able to ask spouses/partners?
 
The PM responds to the situation today:

Albanese defends Qantas allegations (The Oz on-line)



Then the question becomes: Does Qantas allow every CL member to invite someone else, if not their spouse/partner? Or was the PM being done a special favour?

In fact are all CL members able to ask spouses/partners?

As per many previous posts/media reports on this (including AFR) - all CL can have a +1
 
It's always funny to see the lengths that the Qantas apologisers will go in order to defend a company engaging in a textbook case of regulatory capture.

The blame seems to lie at the feet of anyone but the company engaging in the practice.

But it's politicians' fault — Qantas are the innocent party here! But it's the fault of other companies that also do it — Qantas are merely trying to keep up. But it's your fault — you should run for Parliament if you're unhappy with it!

I can understand why it’s done. All of QF’s international competitors are directly government backed and supported, now their domestic competitor (via the Qatari government and previously Singaporean and NZ governments) as well. You could also say Rex had government backing via the National Party.
 
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It's always funny to see the lengths that the Qantas apologisers will go in order to defend a company engaging in a textbook case of regulatory capture.

The blame seems to lie at the feet of anyone but the company engaging in the practice.

But it's politicians' fault — Qantas are the innocent party here! But it's the fault of other companies that also do it — Qantas are merely trying to keep up. But it's your fault — you should run for Parliament if you're unhappy with it!

The last one is my absolute favourite.
Indeed. I have been told that one a few times over the years. However I did actually run for the Reps way back when.

I am also having a chuckle at all those who have called me biased openly confirming their own bias.
 

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